Congratulations to the International Student House

The International Student House of Washington, DC (I-House DC) was the recipient of WECAA’s 2024 “DC Diplomatic Day of Kindness Award,” accepted by Daniel Bremer-Wirtig, Executive Director (I-House DC) on behalf of the board and the students.

Dear Educational and Cultural Attaches, WECAA Members, I-House DC Students and Board Members, Special Guests, Sponsors, and Diplomats,

WITH THANKS:

• To the International Student House of Washington, DC (I-House DC) and to the amazing students for hosting us in your beautiful home
• To our Diplomatic Community for the wonderful embassies and special guests that contributed to the delicious culinary dishes including Bahamas, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, China, Philippines, Qatar, Slovak Republic, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia and Zimbabwe.
• To our Speakers: Our fabulous emcee Licy Do Canto, President/Founder, The Do Canto Group; Daniel Bremer-Wirtig, Executive Director, International Student House; Secretary Kimberly A Bassett, District of Colombia, Mayor’s Office (Happy Birthday, again!); Victor Shiblie, WECAA Co-Founder and Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Washington Diplomat; Debra Leopold, WECAA Social Media; Monia Zgarni, WECAA Special Advisor; and Andrew Kutt, Performing Artist and Founder/Board Chair of Oneness-Family School.
• To our Sponsors: Shahin Mafi, Azar Foundation for Children of the World; Karina Hou, Chinese American Museum and Felis Andrade, Giant Food.
• To our Musicians: Rafael Javadov, Violinist/Pianist and Dr. Leonard Jack, Jr., Steelpan
• To our Photographer: Patricia McDougall

Thanks for joining us! Warmest regards and happy holidays until we meet again next year. Please remember our mantra: “Kindness Rules the World.”

Joan Brammer
President, WECAA,
Public Affairs; Cultural Attache, Embassy of Trinidad Tobago

Visionary/Founder, DC Diplomatic Day of Kindness.

For more information about WECAA, please contact:
Jan Du Plain, 202.486.7004 or janduplain@gmail.com
Victor Shiblie, 301.949.0065 or vshiblie@washdiplomat.com

Dear WECAA Members, Cultural & Educational Attaches and Special Guests:

Many thanks for joining WECAA’s final meeting of 2023 celebrating “Musical Diplomacy” around the world.

Special acknowledgments to our first-rate speakers:

• Ethan Rosenzweig, Acting Chief of Protocol, State Department
• Jenny Bilfield, President, CEO Washington Performing Arts and the Embassy Adoption Series
• Jerome Barry, Founder, The Embassy Series
• Dr. Gail Humphries, Arts administrator, professor, and author of a new publication about culture, art, and music during the Holocaust
• Chateau Gardecki, Founder of the Washington International Piano Competition
• Her Excellency Hanene Tajouri Bessassi of Tunisia, WECAA’s “Ambassador of the Year,” DC Diplomatic Day of Kindness
• Shahin Mafi, WECAA’s sponsor

It’s been a great year and we appreciate each and every one of you for your support—our success depends on you!

Please reserve the following dates for our 2024 WECAA meetings:

• Friday, March 15, 2024
• Friday, September 13, 2024

Have a wonderful holiday….we look forward to seeing you in the New Year!  Stay safe and healthy!

Warmest wishes from all of us!

Joan Brammer and Fatima Aboulfaraj, WECAA Co-Leaders

Allyson McKithen, World Trade Center, Washington DC and WECAA Board Member

Jan Du Plain and Victor Shiblie, WECAA Co-Founders and Board Members

Patricia Elwood, WECAA Board Member

Monia Zgarni, WECAA Special Advisor

Deb Leopold, WECAA Social Media Coordinator

Rafael Javadov, WECAA Musician

Patricia McDougall, WECAA Photographer

Carlus McCormack II, WECAA Videographer

Sonia Bacchus, WECAA Volunteer

Dear Embassy Attaches and Special Guests,

Thank you for attending our Fall Washington Educational and Cultural Attaché Association (WECAA) meeting!

We are sincerely grateful to our Emcee Rafael Ulloa, Deputy Publisher, Executive Vice President and Editor of El Tiempo and to all our wonderful panelists: Licy M. Do Canto (Soft Power), Nimal Aluthgama (Trade & Business), Sherrie Beckstead (Fashion & Sports), Hector J. Torres (Culture & Art/Hospitality), Todd Clark (Film & Music), Anita Schmied (Education), Amy Austin (Theatre) and Gerry Eitner (Community & Nature).

EMBASSIES

We were delighted that so many of our diplomatic friends were able to join us including: Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Chad, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, Gabon, Georgia, Honduras, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovak Republic, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Zimbabwe.

WECAA HOME: 2025

Allyson McKithen, Executive Director, World Trade Center, Washington, DC, offered the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center as WECAA’s “home” for 2025. Look for our next year’s meetings in upcoming announcements.

WECAA MEMBERSHIP

Thanks to Molly McCluskey, CEO of Diplomatica Global Media, for serving as Chair of the Membership Committee. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact molly@diplomaticaglobal.com. Check our website at www.wecaa.org to see the membership levels and find what category you fit under; we hope you will join others and sign up at your earliest convenience. We look forward to growing our non-profit into a successful, robust organization that will flourish and give each of you opportunities to learn, grow and make new friends.

WECAA SPONSORSHIP

Many thanks to our new sponsors–we encourage others to join us—Check out sponsor packages under https://wecaa.org/sponsorships/

WINTERNATIONAL

The largest global holiday marketplace for embassies to showcase their culture, travel, cuisine, etc.–all under one roof!! Shop the world in one day– December 5, 2024, 11 am-3 pm, at the World Trade Center, Washington, DC. Limited space for embassy registration. Sign up today—-Click here to register!

DC DIPLOMATIC DAY OF KINDNESS

This year’s program will honor Theatre Washington and the Helen Hayes awards. The program is scheduled for Friday, November 8, 2024. This will be a great opportunity for our diplomats and organizations to learn more about DC’s robust theatrical community –90 theatres and recognized as second only to NYC in ticket sales. Watch for an invitation with additional details. If you are interested in participating on this year’s committee, please contact Joan Brammer at 202.704.0696 or brammerj@foreign.gov.tt

Best Regards,

Joan Brammer
WECAA President

VENUE HOST:

Allyson McKithen, WECAA Board member

SUPPORT TEAM:

Jan Du Plain, WECAA Co-founder /Board Member
Victor Shiblie, WECAA Co-founder/Board Member
Deb Leopold, WECAA Social Media
Patricia McDougall, WECAA Photographer
Monia Zgarni, WECAA Special Advisor

SPECIAL THANKS:

Humberto Neyra, Baer Technology
Rafael Javadov, Violinist

Questions & Answers about WECAA, please contact:

Jan Du Plain, 202.486.7004 or janduplain@gmail.com
Victor Shiblie, 301.949.0065 and vshiblie@washdiplomat.com